What happened to the PT-109 boat that JFK was on during ww2?
In April 1943, 25-year-old John F. Kennedy arrived in the Pacific and took command of the PT-109. Just months later, the boat collided with a Japanese ship, killing two of his men. The most famous collision in U.S. Navy history occurred at about 2:30 a.m. on August 2, 1943, a hot, moonless night in the Pacific.
What boat did JFK command in ww2?
Last month, in a muddy spot near Harlem River’s North Cove inlet, a crane dredged up the remnants of what is believed to be PT-59, a patrol boat commanded by John F. Kennedy during World War II.
Is the story of PT-109 true?
On August 1, 1943, a Japanese destroyer rams an American PT (patrol torpedo) boat, No. 109, slicing it in two. The destruction is so massive other American PT boats in the area assume the crew is dead. Two crewmen were, in fact, killed, but 11 survived, including Lt.
Did JFK see combat in ww2?
Combat Command and the PT-109 Promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade (JG) Kennedy entered combat with an assignment to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Two based in the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific in 1943. It was there he boarded “his” PT boat. It was the PT-109.
What did JFK do in World War 2?
During World War II, he commanded a series of PT boats in the Pacific theater. Kennedy’s survival of the sinking of PT-109 and rescue of his fellow sailors made him a war hero for which he earned the Navy and Marine Corps Medal, but left him with serious injuries.
Why did Kennedy get a Purple Heart?
Lieutenant John F. Kennedy receives one of the Navy’s highest honor for gallantry for his heroic actions as the commanding officer of a motor torpedo boat during World War II on June 12, 1944. The future president also received a Purple Heart for wounds received during battle.
Are any of the PT-109 crew still alive?
Gerard Zinser, the last surviving crewman from the sinking of John F. Kennedy’s PT 109 in the South Pacific in World War II, died on Aug. 21 at a hospital in Orange Park, Fla. Zinser, who lived in Orange Park, had Alzheimer’s disease, The Associated Press reported.